Due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic gaming studios across the board have been having issues. Stay-at-home orders in many countries have pushed many companies to opt for remote work, causing issues with their product development and production pipelines. And now, another delayed game has been announced.
This time, Hangar 13 has had to delay the launch of Mafia: Definitive Edition. The game will now no longer launch on the original August 28 release date, having been pushed until September 25.
Hangar 13 released a statement on the delay, acknowledging fan feedback and desire for the new game to finally come out. They are thankful fans have shown support and patience in this difficult time, and they want to be able to deliver the best game they can when Mafia: Definitive Edition does release. They also announced that the studio would be releasing an extended gameplay presentation on July 22.
“Mafia: Definitive Edition will now release worldwide on September 25. Though we’d originally planned to release the game one month earlier on August 28, finalizing everything in time for that launch date has become increasingly challenging due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, and the last thing we want to do is compromise the quality of the experience.
From the beginning, this has been a passion project for us. Many of our developers helped create the original Mafia, and all of us are committed to crafting an updated experience worthy of that timeless classic. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make Mafia: Definitive Edition the very best it can be for all our fans worldwide.
We want to express our heartfelt thanks to you for watching our narrative trailer, playing the Definitive Editions of Mafia II and III, and supporting us as we continue building the definitive organized crime saga.”
When Mafia: Definitive Edition does eventually launch, it will complete The Mafia Trilogy, and will be available as part of a bundle with all three main games in the franchise. Right now, the bundle only has the remastered version of Mafia II and Mafia III in the set. When the remaster for the first game comes out, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One owners will get the full experience.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is running on Mafia III’s engine, so the visuals will be rather impressive compared to the PS2-era visuals of the first game at its best. So if you want to experience the trilogy at its most shiny and complete, it might be best to wait until the remaster launches.
The game will also feature more story elements compared to the original version. Hangar 13 has also been working pretty hard to flesh things out. Players will be able to get a new feel for the classic game, with a mix of shooter gameplay and dramatic story being central to how the game will play. The original game in the series eschewed the GTA-ness of other similar games, and instead attempted to make the player feel more immersed in a period piece than a straight action game.
